Salem Fires
by Tenhawk
Summary: A gathering of forces in Sunnydale presents a distinct challenge for Xander and his friends, while a growing threat outside of Sunnydale threatens to bring their secret war crashing down around their collective heads. Set during Wicked Ones in the Jverse.
1. Default Chapter

Salem Fires  
  
Author: Tenhawk tenhawk@sympatico.ca  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.  
  
Summary: A gathering of forces in Sunnydale presents a distinct challenge for Xander and his friends, while a growing threat outside of Sunnydale threatens to bring their secret war crashing down around their collective heads.  
  
Warning: Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)  
  
Rating: PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.  
  
*****  
  
Initiative Bunker Sunnydale, California February 1, 2000 - Evening  
  
Margaret Walsh stared at the video feed, her fingernails chewing holes into the palm of her hands. On the monitor she watched as the armored figure strode through the base, her base, with impunity. One by one it took down her guards, disposing of them with contemptuous ease.  
  
It galled the woman to be placed on the defensive within her own base. It was a pill whose bitter flavor simply would not fade from her mouth. And beyond that, to be ordered... ORDERED to leave the bastard be when she knew where to find him. It simply would not stand.  
  
She shut off the playback, and turned her attention to the monitor of her desktop computer. Military Files Code Name: Predator  
  
The more she read the more it fit the description of the armor the Harris child wore. Stealth screen. Shoulder mounted energy weapon. Face mask. Laser designator. It all fit.  
  
How in all that's holy did that child acquire a piece of alien technology? She wondered for the hundredth time. The answer simply wouldn't come to her, but she had realized early on that it didn't matter. The military file was enough to solve her problem, and that was all that mattered to Margaret Walsh.  
  
She entered a code sequence into her computer, followed by an old ARPA-Net address. A moment later the Initiative logo on the large screen in her office was replaced by a face.  
  
"May I help you?"  
  
Walsh looked up at the screen and smiled, "Yes. I'd like to report a Predator sighting." ***** Pentagon, Sub-level 5 Washington, DC February 2, 2000 - Morning  
  
"Sir, we have a Pred sighting."  
  
"Confirmed?"  
  
"Affirm. Solid evidence, Sir."  
  
"How solid?"  
  
"Video caps."  
  
"You're kidding?"  
  
"No Sir. This one is pretty cocky, Sir."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Sunnydale California."  
  
"Scramble the team. Contact Alpha and Beta... make them the offer."  
  
"Yes Sir." *****  
  
The man looked around as he walked up to his car. His wife was still in their home, but his hearing picked up approaching footsteps. He remained relaxed, calmly slid his key into the car and slipped his other hand under his jacket.  
  
The footsteps got closer.  
  
He slid his Government Colt out of the hidden holster and palmed the big gun in his bigger fist. Three seconds, he told himself.  
  
Then Two.  
  
And finally one.  
  
He turned around, the big gun coming up in a blinding motion. He was a big man, but none of it was fat, and none of it slowed him down. The man was startled by his motion, and scrambled back a couple steps and raised his hands in supplication. "Jesus, Dutch!"  
  
'Dutch'. The man hadn't heard that name in a long time. He stopped using it when he switched careers. Now he recognized the man, however.  
  
"Colonel Greene." His voice was flat. He didn't like being tracked down, especially by old pissant bastards who tried to get his ass killed. Greene lowered his hands slowly. "Christ, Dutch. They told me you might have slowed down... I guess they're full of shit. And I'm out of the army now. I'm with the Company."  
  
"That's supposed to make me feel better?"  
  
Greene cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Look, Dutch... we have a..."  
  
The man's voice shifted to a surprised squeak as he felt a pistol press against his crotch, snugly secured between his legs from behind.  
  
A female voice echoed in his ear as he started sweating. "Is this man bothering you honey?"  
  
'Dutch' smiled. "Not at all."  
  
She shrugged, and removed the gun. "If you say so."  
  
Greene started to breathe again. He hadn't been warned that Dutch had found a woman as dangerous as he was. "Look. Dutch,"  
  
He was again interrupted by the woman, her voice amused. "Dutch?"  
  
The big man shrugged, "I had a misspent youth."  
  
She smiled and nodded.  
  
Greene tried again, "Dutch... we've got another one."  
  
Dutch stiffened. "When?"  
  
"He's been around for a while... Hunting in a town in California... small shit burg called Sunnydale. Dutch, we want you on this one."  
  
"No." Dutch shook his head, "No way. I told you people, I want nothing to do with those things."  
  
Greene's hand went to his coat, causing both Man and Wife to lift their weapons again. "Whoa! Just some papers, I swear!"  
  
"Slowly." the man said, his hand motioning. Greene swallowed and nodded, slowly pulling a sheaf of papers from his coat. "I may not be able to find out who you work for now, Dutch, but I know you still work for Uncle Sam. And he cut these order personally."  
  
Dutch grabbed the papers, growling his displeasure as he did. "Damnit, Greene!"  
  
"What is it Honey?" The woman was concerned. She'd seen her husband take on nuclear bomb's with less concern. "What's wrong?"  
  
The big man sighed. "I have to go to California."  
  
"Well, I'm coming with you."  
  
He shook his head, "It's too dangerous."  
  
"Bullshit! We're a team. We have been for years. I'm coming."  
  
Dutch sighed. He knew he wouldn't be able to change her mind. "You don't understand... What we're going up against isn't like anything you've ever seen. It's dangerous..."  
  
"So's breathing." She said, "I'm coming."  
  
Dutch sighed and nodded, accepting his fate. ***** 13th Precinct Los Angeles, California February 2, 2000 - Afternoon  
  
"Lieutenant Harrigan?"  
  
The big black man looked up and his face dropped as he recognized, not the man but the suit. "Oh shit."  
  
"I've been sent to get your help with a... confidential matter."  
  
"Get fucked." Harrigan muttered before turning back to his paperwork. "I told you people never to come near me again."  
  
"We have another sighting, Lieutenant. We need your help. You are one of exactly two people to have ever faced one of these things and walk away."  
  
"So call the other guy."  
  
"We did. He's on a plane as we speak." "Then what do you need me for?" The man shrugged, "We're hedging our bets this time, Lieutenant."  
  
"Forget it." Harrigan rasped.  
  
The man in the suit called out as Harrigan turned away. "It's in California!"  
  
Harrigan turned back, his face setting. "Where?"  
  
"A small town just outside of L.A." the man said, knowing that he had already won. "It's called..." ***** Bronze Sunnydale, California February 2, 2000 - Evening  
  
Xander and Faith were on the floor, clearly enjoying the beat of the music as it flowed through them. Both were moving with little, if any, restraint and a large clearing had grown out around them. Neither dancer noticed, or cared.  
  
As the song ended, they slowly came down from their tandem dance and grinned at the observers grouped around them they glided off the dance floor, waving and nodded at the whistles and catcalls they received from the other dancers.  
  
"You two are crazy." Willow smiled at the couple as the slid into their seats.  
  
Faith grinned, "Why, Red? Jealous? You want a turn with Boytoy? I'm sure I left enough gas in the tank for you."  
  
Willow shook her head and slipped an arm around Tara. "I have my partner right here, thank you very much."  
  
Tara smiled shyly, and nodded at her lover.  
  
Faith shrugged, and grinned at the two Wiccans. "Whatever."  
  
Xander was breathing deeply, though not as hard as one might expect. He grinned around the table and noticed the lack of drinks. He held his hand up for a waitress, and wasn't surprised when one appeared in seconds. He had a reputation as a very generous tipper.  
  
"Another round." he nodded around the table.  
  
"Right away," The girl winked at him, and he grinned and winked back.  
  
Faith leaned in, "I think she likes you." Xander shrugged.  
  
"Come on, don't tell me your not interested?"  
  
Xander shrugged again, but spoke this time. "Not really. She's cute... but my likings have changed."  
  
"Oh?" Faith looked at him, her eyebrows arcing, "How so?"  
  
Xander grinned at her, "I like my ladies strong."  
  
"Strong enough to kick your ass, lover?"  
  
"Wouldn't have it any other way." ***** J&X's Home Sunnydale California February 3, 2000 - Morning  
  
Xander got up slowly, mildly surprised to find that Faith was still laying beside him. She usually slept in her own bed, even on nights that started out in his. He watched her breathe for a few moments, smiling at the peaceful look on her face. He took a deep breath and felt a twinge in his gut as he got out of bed.  
  
He loved Faith, as much as he had loved anybody. But he knew that he wasn't in love with her. And he didn't fool himself into thinking that she was in love with him. Still, he had to admit that they had a pretty decent relationship. No strings, at least no obvious ones.  
  
He got dressed quickly, slipping into his workout clothes and slipping out of the room as quietly as he could. It was a testament to her trust and security that Faith didn't wake for an instant while he did all that. ***** Empire Hotel  
  
Dutch tossed his suitcase to the floor, looking around at the 'presidential suite'. "What a dump."  
  
"It's not so bad." His wife smiled, her face etched with sadness.  
  
Dutch nodded. They had seen worse. Much worse. "It will do."  
  
He looked over at his wife and forced a smile. "Who are you?"  
  
She nodded, "hello, I'm Mrs. Schaefer, I work with the NSA as a consultant. But you can call me Sally."  
  
He nodded. "Pleased to meet you, Sally." Sally smiled at him, and stepping in close. "You know.. I always did find this secret identity thing such a turn on."  
  
"That's good to know." He smiled, "But we have some... friends to meet."  
  
She sighed and backed off. "You're right... Alan."  
  
They quickly got ready and headed out of their room. *****  
  
"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer... Good to see you again." Greene forced a smile as the couple walked in.  
  
Dutch nodded at him, not bother to smile. His eyes swept the room, and fell on a surly black man who was already seated at the large table. "You must be Harrigan?"  
  
The black man nodded. "Who the hell are you?"  
  
"Dutch."  
  
Harrigan's eyes widened. "So you're the other guy, huh?"  
  
Dutch nodded, smiling a little ruefully. "I'm afraid so."  
  
Harrigan shook his head. "So why are you stupid enough to be here?"  
  
"Orders." Dutch shrugged.  
  
Harrigan nodded. "Ok. At least you didn't volunteer."  
  
Dutch laughed. "Not a chance. You?"  
  
"I volunteered." Harrigan said sourly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Don't like the idea of one of those things this close to my city."  
  
That was something that Dutch could understand. And something he could respect. "Good. Glad to be working with you."  
  
"Same here." Harrigan extended his hand and Dutch shook it firmly.  
  
Greene interrupted with a sarcastic tone. "If the mutual respect society is over, can we get to work?"  
  
Both warriors glared at him, but nodded their assent and settled into their places at the table. Green pulled out a map of the town and started pointing things out. "Ok, we have sightings here, here, and here... always around the graveyards... always at night. Don't know why, but this one seems to be nocturnal..." ***** X&J's Building  
  
Xander jogged up the path to the old brownstone, his chest heaving from his morning run, and quickly let himself in. He was halfway to the stairs when he heard voices in the kitchen and turned around.  
  
In the Kitchen he found Giles, Jarod, and Buffy talking quietly. "Hey G and J-men... Buff... what's up?"  
  
The three alternately smiled and grimaced and smiled at him, each a greeting in its own way. Jarod spoke first. "Mr. Giles here has found a piece of an old artifact that has him nervous."  
  
"Oh?" Xander asked, his face as neutral as possible. Giles was pretty stiff sometimes, but he didn't get nervous over just anything.  
  
"Indeed." Giles said, sliding his spectacles back onto his nose. "It's a piece of the Amulet of Amsheri."  
  
Xander paused, hoping that Elan would have some info. No such luck. "Which is?"  
  
"The Amulet is a very dangerous material component for a summoning spell. It can be used to raise the demon Amsheri from the third circle of hell."  
  
Xander nodded, "ok... that sounds bad. But you have the Amulet thingy... so what's the problem? We toss it in the vault and forget about it."  
  
Predictably, Giles shook his head. "I'm afraid that is insufficient."  
  
Xander sighed. "I should have known. Why?"  
  
"Because the spell has already been cast. The Amulet is broken as part of the summoning."  
  
"Of course it is." Xander muttered.:So this Amsheri thing is running around town?"  
  
"No." Giles answered. "Not until tonight."  
  
"Tonight?"  
  
"Tonight is a blood moon. The spell was cast last night so its completion would concur with the rising of the blood moon... He will arise after the sun sets tonight." "Of course he will." Xander sighed. "Who is this guy and what can he do?" Giles sighed himself and removed his glasses to wipe them clean. "I'm afraid the book is sketchy on that... but he is quite dangerous..."  
  
"Of course he is." Xander muttered. "Do we have anything on him?"  
  
Giles shook his head, "I'm afraid not."  
  
Xander rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling. "Of course we don't." ***** Bridgewater Creek, Northern California  
  
The young man ran, his legs burning, his lungs aching, his heart pounding. But he ran. Behind him he could hear the sound of a chopper moving against the pristine sky, searching, hunting. Ahead of him was a woman, a slim dark haired beauty that he knew well. Running went against her grain, and his, but they had little choice.  
  
They were a few miles from the nearest town, and actually going there would be suicide. For him at least. So they were heading for the river. With some luck they'd be able to ride it to the coast, even it if meant floating downstream on a log or other piece of flotsam. Whatever, it didn't matter so long as they got out of here. And got help.  
  
They reached the river quickly and waded in, hoping that they would lose their pursuers in the swirling water. The woman held his head above water as they were buffeted by the current, at least until his hands found a short log to grasp. Then they both held on and rode the current away from the carnage they left behind them.  
  
"What do we do now?" She asked, spitting water out with every breath. "Heather said that the charmed ones could help... they're supposed to be in San Francisco somewhere?"  
  
He shook his head, "I'm more interested in the stories about Sunnydale."  
  
She scoffed, "The ones about a group of witches, Slayers, and god knows what else? That can't be true."  
  
He shrugged, "I think we could use a Slayer on our side."  
  
She shook her head, "We need the witches more..."  
  
"San Francisco is a big city... have you stopped to think of how we'd find them?"  
  
She didn't have an answer.  
  
"No, Sunnydale is our only chance."  
  
They didn't speak again, instead spending all their energy just to stay afloat and alive as they spend down river toward the Pacific. ***** Empire Hotel Sunnydale, California February 3, 2000 - Late Afternoon  
  
"We've had people setting up motion sensors in the UV spectrum all day. That should lead us straight to him if he shows himself."  
  
"Hey," Harrigan looked up, "What about feeding?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Last time the thing set up a feeding zone in a meat locker... anything like that around here?"  
  
Green shook his head, "We don't think so. No signs of it anyway."  
  
"Great." Harrigan muttered, "I don't like it when they change the pattern."  
  
"I agree." Dutch said, "I've read the field reports on eight of these things... Nothing you've shown me here fits the pattern."  
  
Green protested, "What about the death rate in this town?"  
  
Dutch shook his head, "No. None of the bodies are missing their heads."  
  
"Yeah... that's right." Harrigan lifted his head, "He didn't take any trophies."  
  
"Precisely." Dutch said.  
  
"So... if that's true," Harrigan muttered, mostly to himself, "Why's the bastard here?" ***** Angel Investigations Los Angeles, California February 3, 2000 - Morning  
  
"Hey Cordy," Doyle grinned as he walked in, "How's it shakin?"  
  
Cordelia spared him a mildly annoyed glance before turning back to Angel. "As I was saying... It wouldn't hurt to add a little color to this place... You know, a painting over there... maybe a new set of drapes for this window..."  
  
Angel sighed, he'd been listening to this for hours. "How many times to I have to tell you, Cordy, I can't afford it." "Nonsense." Cordelia brushed that off, "Its just like buying good clothes... they're not a cost, they're an investment."  
  
Angel looked to Doyle for help, "Any visions lately?"  
  
Doyle spared him a dirty look. "No. And I'm so happy that you feel so concerned fot the well being of my..."  
  
At that point Doyle's eyes slammed shut and his face was wracked in pain. He fell to his knees as Angel and Cordelia rushed to his side. "Doyle!"  
  
Angel grabbed him up, pulling him to his feet. "Doyle, what did you see?"  
  
Doyle staggered for a bit, "A demon... weird one... he's bending over a young woman, pretty thing... she's bleeding."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"I saw a sign..." Doyle said, looking at Angel, "You're not going to like it."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"It said 'Welcome to Sunnydale'."  
  
Angel's borrowed blood ran ice cold. "The girl... was she blond?"  
  
Doyle shook his head, "No... Brunette... very nice bod."  
  
Cordelia butted in, "Very interesting... What did the Demon look like?"  
  
Doyle shuddered. "We was wearing this weird armor... had weapons strapped all over his body.. Angel?"  
  
"Yeah, Doyle?"  
  
"I've never felt the visions pour on the cold like that before..." Doyle shivered, "It's like the PTB's wanted to make sure I knew who the target was..."  
  
Angel nodded. "Then he dies... before he can kill the girl" ***** Sunnydale, California February 3, 2000 - Midnight  
  
Xander crouched on a rooftop across from the first point that Giles had listed as a likely place for the Demon to arise. "Anything, Lover?" Faith asked from behind him.  
  
"No." Xander said quietly, scanning the area through his hunting mask. "It's dead. The whole place."  
  
"Well, that's good right?"  
  
Xander shrugged in his armor, "I don't know. It might be too quiet."  
  
Faith nodded. "You think this is the place?"  
  
"I don't know... but someone's put out the word to avoid this place tonight." Xander shifted his weight, "Stay here... I'm going to get a closer look."  
  
"Hey! Now wait a second!" Faith protested, but her jaw dropped as Xander shimmered out of sight.  
  
"I said wait here, Faith." His disembodied voice echoed around her, "I can do this better on my own."  
  
"Uh..." Faith stammered, "Yeah..."  
  
Her sharp eyes caught a slight blur of motion and then nothing. *****  
  
Tensions rose suddenly in the small room when a sharp beeping echoed around the room.  
  
"We have a hit!"  
  
"Where is it?" Greene asked eagerly.  
  
"Graveyard across town."  
  
"Send the team."  
  
Dutch and Harrigan looked at each other, and nodded grimly. "We're going too."  
  
Greene looked over at them, his face clouded. "I don't think that's necessary."  
  
Dutch glared at him, "Get out of my way."  
  
Greene swallowed, and backed off. He watched the two men grab assault rifles and grenades. "We want him alive!"  
  
"Who's we?" Harrigan asked with a smirk, "I don't see any 'we' in here... Just you. And I don't give a flying fuck what you want."  
  
Dutch smiled, "What he said." Then the two warriors turned their back on Greene and walked out. Greene waited for the door to close before he slammed his fist down on the desk and grabbed the tactical microphone. "All teams! Move in now! Isolate and contain the alien!"  
  
*****  
  
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	2. Chap 2

Salem Fires  
  
Author: Tenhawk tenhawk@sympatico.ca  
  
Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners... none of which are me.  
  
Summary: A gathering of forces in Sunnydale presents a distinct challenge for Xander and his friends, while a growing threat outside of Sunnydale threatens to bring their secret war crashing down around their collective heads.  
  
Warning: Crossovers ahead. (Yes Plural.)  
  
Rating: PG-13 to PG-16; for mild cursing, violence, and demonic horror content... in other words a bit more grown up then the series... but only cause I don't have to suck up to censors.  
  
*****  
  
*****  
  
Xander moved through the graveyard slowly, all his senses in high gear. There was nothing at all around him, no vampires, no demon, and nothing else. Xander was getting a weird feeling crawling along his spine as he walked.  
  
Finally, halfway out into the graveyard, he stopped. He turned around and flipped through the different settings of his mask.  
  
Thermal. Nothing.  
  
Light amp. Nothing.  
  
UV. Nothing.  
  
Air pressure was worse then useless out in the open so he skipped past it. Same went for the high band radiation settings. Finally he shifted to a computer generated rendering of the ultrasonic vibrations around him.  
  
Bingo.  
  
Xander dropped into a crouch behind a gravestone and whispered. "Faith?"  
  
"Yah?" her voice came back through the earpiece he was wearing.  
  
"I'm surrounded."  
  
"What!?"  
  
"I've got multiple targets coming in on me... must be vamps, I couldn't see even a hint of them on thermal."  
  
"Vamps?" Faith asked, "Where?"  
  
Xander frowned, "Faith, there are two of them walking on the street below you."  
  
Silence. Then her voice came back. "No way, boytoy. I got em in my sights, but they ain't vamps."  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Two reasons." Faith said, a tight grin in her voice. "First I ain't getting a buzz off 'em... Second... I ain't never seen vamps wearing space suits." "What!?"  
  
"I'm serious boytoy. They're wearing baggy silver space suits..."  
  
Xander's mind locked onto what she was describing. "Hazmat suits.... Heat shielded. What the hell?"  
  
"I don't know, Lover... but they've got some wacky looking weapons too. Almost looks like... I don't know, you know those flame throwers you see in those shootem-up flicks of yours?"  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
"Looks like those... but a bit bigger."  
  
Xander's mind raced as he looked at the bogeys approaching his position. "Shit. Call for backup."  
  
Xander switched his mask back to light amplification mode and drew a Zat from his belt. He counted to ten and stood up. *****  
  
Angel had the pedal to the floor as he passed the sign that read, Welcome to Sunnydale. He looked over at the lone passenger in his car. "Well?"  
  
"What?" Doyle asked.  
  
"Were now?"  
  
"The Graveyard."  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Which graveyard?"  
  
Doyle looked at Angel in confusion, "It's a small town... how many could there be!?"  
  
Angel moaned and slammed his fist into the steering wheel. "This is the Hellmouth! Damnit... this is going to take all night!" ***** The soldier swung his heavy NO2 dispenser around as he marched through the graveyard. "Where the hell is it?"  
  
"Keep your eyes peeled."  
  
"No shit." He muttered, "I've seen what these things did to the group in L.A."  
  
He continued to stalk through the graveyard, sweating with every step he made in his thermal insulated suit. As he approached a particularly large headstone his radio crackled to life.  
  
"Unit five, he's right in front of you."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Two feet, at two o'clock."  
  
The soldier swivelled and aimed his weapon, "I don't see him!"  
  
"Fire anyway goddamnit!"  
  
He pulled the trigger, ejecting a white cloud of super-chilled gas into the air in front of him. He blinked as a form materialized within the mist, and raised its hand. He started to scream when he saw a weapon in its big fist.  
  
"It's not working! The gas isn't...!"  
  
A blue electrical light brought searing pain to his world and the soldier dropped in his tracks, falling and twitching on the ground. *****  
  
"Five? Five! FIVE!?"  
  
"He's gone."  
  
The technician sighed, but nodded. "Units four, six, eight, and ten. Converge on sector 9 alpha. Repeat, 9 alpha. We've lost the signature on the UV motion sensors, be alert! He may not be using stealth now." *****  
  
Xander was running. Stumbling, staggering, scrambling, but also running. As best as he could manage as he shivered and shook and tried to get his blood moving again.  
  
"D-d-damn.... th-tha-that's c-c-cold..." he said into the microphone.  
  
"Xander? What happened?" Faith's voice was anxious. "They used some kind of li... quid c-c-coolant system..." Xander muttered as he ran. "A... armor took the worst of it... b-b-but I'm f-f-f-fucking f- freezing..."  
  
"I'm downstairs, Xander... I'll be there in a few seconds!"  
  
"G-good." Xander said, his teeth chattering as he cranked up the armors thermostat. "The others?"  
  
"B and Farm Boy are coming, Jeeves and the wicked wiccans aren't far behind."  
  
"Ok..." Xander said, ducking behind another gravestone as he heard some others moving around him. "Damn... got some more c-c-coming... hang on a sec."  
  
Xander pulled a second Zat from his belt and triggered the first level activation. He stood up, leveling both Zats at the source of the sound.  
  
Four of them. He thought as he triggered both weapons in rapid fire sequence. *****  
  
"Sir, we just lost four more units!"  
  
"Lost?"  
  
"All their comm gear just went down. Heart monitors stopped transmitting."  
  
"So they're dead."  
  
"Either that or all their electronics chose this moment to go on the fritz, Sir."  
  
Greene didn't bother to respond to that comment. *****  
  
"Xander?" Faith asked anxiously, "You ok?"  
  
"Four up, four down." Xander's voice crackled back over the radio.  
  
Faith breathed a sigh of relief. "Who are these guys?"  
  
"Alien hunters."  
  
"What!?"  
  
"They must be following up on some sightings of me in armor... they think I'm a Yautja."  
  
"A what-cha?" "Yautja, that's the name of the species that uses this type of armor."  
  
"Oh..." Faith said, "Oh! So they're not after you?"  
  
"Not knowingly. They think I'm an alien here on a safari."  
  
"So get out of there and ditch the armor!" "That's the plan." Xander confirmed as he started moving. *****  
  
Angel slowed the car as he passed their sixth cemetery of the night. "What the hell?"  
  
Doyle looked over and his eyes widened. "Well... that's something you don't see every day..."  
  
The two demon detectives stared as an armored form came running at full speed out of the darkness, pursued by six silver suited men wielding extremely weird weapons.  
  
"That's him!" Doyle said excitedly, "That's the demon!"  
  
Angel shook his head to clear it, and opened the drivers side door. "Ok. Wait here."  
  
"You don't have to tell me twice." *****  
  
Xander pumped his legs and pushed off the ground in a powerful a leap as he could manage. He hit the ground in a tucked roll and came to a crouching halt behind the low brick wall that separated the sidewalk form the cemetery.  
  
He activated both Zats and waited.  
  
His six pursuers rolled around the corner at full runs, and ran straight into a rapid fire discharge of Zat fire.  
  
Xander stood up and approached the silver masses on the ground, shaking his head under his mask. Damn. I hope that's the last of them.  
  
"Step away from them, Demon!"  
  
Wha?" Xander turned around in time to see a fist plow into his mask. *****  
  
"We just lost six more!"  
  
"God dammit!" Greene cursed. "Do we have anyone else in the area?" "Three more units... about three minutes away... and Dutch and the Cop Sir..."  
  
"Shit." *****  
  
Dutch hit the brakes as he skidded the Ford van into a stop at the corner of the graveyard. "From here, we walk."  
  
Harrington hefted his shotgun in one hand, "Oh yeah." The two got out of the vehicle and looked around. Dutch looked back inside and looked pointedly at his wife. "Sally, stay with the car... we may need to make a very fast getaway."  
  
She looked about to refuse but Harrington nodded. "He's right ma'am. This thing is dangerous... we might have to hit the road in a hurry."  
  
Finally she nodded. "All right... But you'd better be ok!" Dutch smiled and nodded. "Yes, dear."  
  
Harrington shook his head, a toothy smile on his face. "Ah, marital bliss."  
  
As the two warriors walked into the graveyard, Dutch looked over, "You ever been married?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Didn't like it?"  
  
"I liked it fine. My ex-wife, she had problems with it."  
  
Dutch nodded. "You need to find a woman who lives like you do."  
  
"Are you nuts?" Harrington grinned, "I couldn't live with someone like me..."  
  
The two warriors chuckled quietly and then turned all of their attention toward the area ahead of them. *****  
  
"Faster!" Buffy urged as Riley gunned the motor.  
  
Riley didn't say anything, just pushed the pedal down.  
  
"How long?" Riley looked at the houses as they whipped by and grimaced. "If the roads are clear? Seven minutes. Maybe ten."  
  
Buffy actually cursed. "And Giles and the others?"  
  
Riley shook his head, "Even longer." *****  
  
"Can't you get this heap to go any faster, Giles?" Willow glared across the at the older man form the passenger seat.  
  
Giles gritted his teeth and put the pedal down, the old car protesting loudly as its overdrive kicked in and the car accelerated. "I'm trying."  
  
"Try harder." This time it was a voice form the back seat, as filled with concern as Willow's was.  
  
Willow glanced back at Tara, "We'll make it, Tara... Xander's strong... he can hold on." *****  
  
Xander staggered to his feet, his vision obscured by random flashes of light. As he managed to shake his head clear he saw what, who, had hit him.  
  
A few feet away a recognizable figure stood, obviously preparing for a follow-up blow.  
  
Angel? Xander managed to think as the ensouled vampire charged him. He opened his mouth to speak.  
  
"Ang-oooof!" He grunted out as the vampire hit him solidly, blasting him off his feet and back into the cement wall.  
  
"Your days of killing women are over, Demon!" Angel yelled as he pushed the fight again. *****  
  
Xander rolled clear as Angel's foot slammed into the bricks hard enough to raise a cloud of mortar dust. He desperately tried to get his breath back to speak but before he could do more then draw in a shuddering breath, Angel was upon him again.  
  
Angel threw two hard punches to his head, and Xander slipped under both of them. Oh shit! He thinks I'm a demon! Fuck fuck fuck! I don't have any non- lethals that would work on a vamp!  
  
Xander threw out a hard punch of his own, nailing Angel in the stomach, then followed through with a knee aimed at the vampire's face.  
  
Angel intercepted the knee, grabbing it with both hands and powering it up into the air. Xander was thrown off his feet and flipped in mid air, landing on his stomach after a full flip. This had the unfortunate effect of knocking even more air from Xander's lungs. He twisted and rolled just clear of a stomping attack by Angel, wheezing and shuddering as he struggled to pull air into his lungs. He struggled to his feet as quickly as he could, dropping his Zats to the ground and tugging Elan from the canvas sheath riding on his hip. He staggered around to face Angel, still gasping for breath as the vampire closed on him.  
  
Activate  
  
The silver staff bucked in his hand and the foot long cylinder was replaced by a seven foot battle staff. He held it between him and the vampire like a talisman against evil.  
  
Angel took a step back. "You think that's going to stop me?"  
  
Xander drew another painful, ragged breath and shook his head.  
  
"You've got that right." Angel took another menacing step forward.  
  
Xander glanced around and backed away from the vampire, shaking his head and holding up his free hand, still trying to draw in that sweet air.  
  
Angel paused. This wasn't going as expected. Demons usually fought like... well, like demons. This one certainly wasn't acting like the unholy terror Doyle described him as. So Angel did the one thing he could think of.  
  
He stopped.  
  
Xander looked at Angel for a moment, and saw that the vampire had stopped. He nodded his head and bent down, bracing himself on his knees, pulling in deep breaths as quickly as he could.  
  
Damn it. I HATE it when I have to fight someone who's trying to kill me and I can't kill them.  
  
Finally he raised his head and opened his mouth to speak.  
  
"There he is! Get him!"  
  
Bullets ripped through the ground around his feet and Xander dove in a hurry for the closest cover. He could feel bullets ricocheting off his armor and see the spouts of dirt fly up from ones that dug into the soft ground.  
  
Behind him he could hear Angel let out a curse and run for cover of his own. *****  
  
Dutch and Harrigan charged the creature as it stood there, their M-16 rifles blazing.  
  
"We can't let it activate it's bomb!" Dutch yelled.  
  
"I know, man! I know!" The two warriors cursed simultaneously as the creature ducked for cover. Dutch looked over at Harrigan and motioned him to go around the wall. Dutch took a running leap and went over it. *****  
  
Xander hunkered down behind the wall, breathing heavily now that he had managed to get his breath back and cursing the fact that he had dropped the Zats. "Shit. Shit. Shit."  
  
His radio crackled to life. "What is it Xander?"  
  
"Faith!?" he seized on her voice like ti was a lifeline. "I've got two maniacs trying to fill me full of lead, and Angel just showed up thinking I'm some kind of super-demon!" To his everlasting annoying, Faith laughed out loud. "Jeeez, loverboy... you're having a bad night."  
  
"No shit! Help?"  
  
"I'm a few seconds away, Xan. Your fight took you across the graveyard... I'm coming through now."  
  
Thank you god. Xander thought as he glanced up at the sky.  
  
What he saw wasn't a sign from the almighty. He hoped. It was a two hundred and fifty pound mountain jumping clean over the section of wall he was hiding behind.  
  
"Uh.. Faith?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Xander watched the man land and turn his M-16 around.  
  
"Hurry." *****  
  
Dutch turned his weapon on the crouching hunter and quickly squeezed the trigger.  
  
The stream of bullets chewed into the wall where the creature had been a few moments earlier, but the thing had ducked low and was charging him.  
  
No! Dutch screamed internally, Don't let him get close with those claws!  
  
He tried to bring the bucking assault rifle down but the thing moved too fast, plowing into him in a classic tackle that lifted him clean off his feet. The M-16 pointed skyward as the two figures tumbled to the ground. *****  
  
Harrigan burst around the corner, his M-16 searching for a target, only to see the alien plow into Dutch like a linebacker for the Rams. "Shit."  
  
The two figures were too closely entangled for him to do much with his rifle so he lifted the muzzle and ran into help. He hadn't take three steps when a figure burst form the graveyard, moving faster then he had ever seen, and plowed into him.  
  
He was lifted up and thrown a dozen feet, landing square on his back with his rifle a dozen more feet beyond. He felt a weight land on his chest and he looked up.  
  
"Ohh... you're a big one...." The small brunette grinned at him, "Just so you know... no one hurts my friends." Harrigan tried to say something, Anything, that would either explain that he was the good guy or maybe ask who her friend was... but the girl cold cocked him in the next instant and the lights went out. *****  
  
"How much longer?"  
  
Riley cursed under his breath, "Five minutes. Maybe six." Buffy's knuckles turned white were she was gripping the armrest on the door. A few seconds later the plastic and vinyl construction crumpled and crumbled into pieces of foam and plastic that used to have a shape. *****  
  
"The three units are almost on target, Sir."  
  
"Tell them to capture the creature at all costs."  
  
"What if someone gets in the way?" He asked, leaving little doubt who he meant.  
  
Greene muttered coldly, "They have guns don't they?"  
  
"Yessir."  
  
"Tell them to use them."  
  
*****  
  
READ THIS!! :  
  
This and well over a DOZEN more stories in this series that have been completed are posted to the site below....  
  
If you want more stories/faster updates in this series don't ask me. Just go to my Yahoo group and check it out for DAILY updates. I only post here when I get around to it... which can be any stretch of time at all. FF.Net simply isn't a priority given the recent uncertainties in posting here. So far I've been lucky, none of my fics have been deleted, but a lot of stories are biting the big one for little to no reason.  
  
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